With the coming of fall in the southern hemisphere, Australians are beginning to see some much welcome relief from the months of brutal wildfires which have tragically killed at least 33 people and scorched over 12 million acres since September. Despite the staggering losses, the country is determined to mount a comeback. And Sydney as a meetings and events destination is set to play a large part.
It’s hard to imagine how global icons like the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach could be anything but a positive for those in the tourism game, but when you are building a business brand for a city like Sydney, its popularity as a leisure destination does present the occasional difficulty.
“Sydney has a strong reputation globally and that’s been built on a leisure brand: people think of Sydney Harbour and the icons in Sydney,” says Kristian Nicholls. He would know; Nicholls is the general manager (bidding) for the non-profit, government-backed organization Business Events Sydney (BESydney), an entity tasked with ensuring the business and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sectors realize Sydney’s strengths too.
As the state capital of New South Wales, Sydney operates in a reasonably stable political environment. It’s a credential worth mentioning given that at a federal level Australia has famously changed prime ministers six times in 12 years – five times if you count former PM Kevin Rudd only once. New South Wales also benefits from its status as a services-led economy, so the downturn in the resources sector – which has challenged locations like Western Australia – isn’t problematic.
But despite the fact that Sydney’s business credentials are increasingly turning into one of its market advantages, those same glamorous icons that impress the region’s 39 million or more visitors a year can mean it’s not all upside for those plugging a serious business destination.
“Sometimes when you have such a strong brand, getting cut through on the business side of things [can be] more challenging,” admits Nicholls. Still, he readily admits it’s a challenge he’s happy to have: “You’d never argue against having that very positive leisure base,” he says, noting that research into the MICE sector has shown that event attendees choose their conferences based on an equal split between the event itself and the destination in question.
CHICKEN OR EGG?
That split is part of the reason Sydney is coming into its own for business travelers, as strategic decisions large and small (mostly large) are starting to pay off. The shift starts in part with the solving of a chicken-and-egg situation that was long the bane of MICE event planners: a lack of high-end hotel rooms. If you don’t have the hotel rooms – especially at the five-star end – it’s hard to attract the big events. If you don’t attract the events, well, it’s harder to get those rooms built in the first place.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
TRAVEL STARS SHINE BRIGHTEST
The 2020 Best in Business Travel Awards highlight resilience, innovation and staying power
The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act
The city is working hard to conjure up events and make millions of visitors reappear
TEE TIME IN TOKYO
The Tokyo Olympics may be delayed, but the golf courses around Japan’s capital aren’t slowing down
MEMPHIS CON BRIO
Music and history flood through the heart and soul of this quintessential American river town
Live & Learn in Lockdown
Just because you’re quarantining doesn’t necessarily mean your brain stops. On a screen near you, there’s a world beyond
Membership Gets You More
In the days of coronavirus, what subscription travel offers is a sense of being in this together – apart
Taking Scotland in Stride
A walk through the Highlands and Borders is the best way to touch this country’s history and nature
LITTLE ITALY
The lesser-known northeastern region of Friuli Venezia Giulia boasts unspoiled vistas and sail-friendly waters
CROSSROADS OF THE WEST
With the opening its new airport, Salt Lake City maintains its standing as one of America’s key transportation links
Amen to Amenities
For hotel guests, the little things that have gone missing can feel like a big deal
BRAD & JEN'S SECRET DAUGHTER!
Stars dote on look-alike as she graduates college
Hustle and Heart
Monica Peraza O’Quigley loves the challenge of creating new companies. With her latest, the Etho, she’s zeroing in on her goal to empower women worldwide.
Scene & Heard
BEHIND the SCENES!
LOVE
My pets are my own true loves.
Nicole's Never Been So Homesick!
Nic wants to come back to Australia… and it’s causing friction in her marriage
Australia's first Indigenous Rooftop Farm
Up high in Sydney there’s a bevy of native drought-tolerant plants growing, and they’re feeding the Sydneysiders living below
Nicole's Heartache: ‘I Can't Do This Anymore!'
Even a trip to the beach ended in cross words for the tense couple
Trending In 2020
The food and travel trends to look out for in the coming year.
Sydney Carnita
Describe yourself in three words
On The Go - From The Travel Bag Of A Solo Biker
SUHAS RAMAKRISHNAN is a quintessential biker, who loves to venture on his beloved Harley. In one of his recent expeditions, he finds inspiration at the famous Uluru in Central Australia. Through one of the most punishing deserts on Earth, this expedition is as much about courage as it is about perseverance and unwavering self-belief. Suhas also shares some valuable tips, especially for those bitten by the solo travel bug.